On a weekend test trip in a rental v.....

Here are my initial thoughts.

Pros: knee room, cargo room, nag is nice and works well for me. We got 41.5 mpg going from Charlotte to pigeon forge tn. (comouter showed 44.6 but I'm happy climbing into the mountains with some interstate a 75 and getting over 41mpg. )
We got nearly 48 (via computer ) tooling around up here today but I have not filled up again yet to confirm what that Number really is.
Also pleased w the power on hills.

Cons: blind spot at c pillar takes getting used to .
Not as quiet as the Camry hybrid. Not as smooth transitioning the power system. The v definitely feels sluggish off the start but I can get used to that
The big issue is front seat comfort is LACKing !!

These seats are an issue. Within 40 minutes on the road my right leg started achIng in the gluteal region. Then It spread to my whole bottom. I adjusted the seat. I slid to the left, right, front , back, tilted the back and nothing helped. I know I can drive 5 hours straight in my trailblazer and feel no discomfort at all. I think it's a height issue somehow as I'm almost 6'4". I even raised and lowered the seat.
This could kill the v for me if I can't solve it and force me toward the Camry though I'm loving the hatch storage space.

There is a Walmart up here. Can anyone suggest a cushion or a seat cover or Pad I might pick up to help this issue?

I. do not know if this is a v2 or v3. I'd be most interested in owning a v5 but I believe this seat issue will be the same in both. So it must be resolved.

Thanks for any helP or ideas.

 

I will play with the lumbar but it really feels like the issue is related to the bottom of the seat. My gf is pretty tall as well at 5'11" and feels the same issue.
Maybe it's related to the amount of seat bottom cushioning. Maybe it's related to our height causing the back of our legs to be up off the seat so instead of our weight being distributed from spine to our knees it's distributed from spine to about just 6 inches forward of the spine She felt it in the passenger seat while I felt it driving and then we switched and both of us still felt it She commented the length of the seat bottom felt short.
Like I mentioned too if there's a cushion or seat cover padded enough to get at Walmart I will grab one for the drive home to see of it resolves my issues. Otherwise I like this car but this is a serious concern.

Thanks all

 

I Acquired a couple memory foam seat cushions from Walmart today. They just sit on the bottom. Look an inch thick. They are of course smaller than the actual seat. But they do make a difference. They really add some cushioning. Just today tooling around up here the rear of me feels better but you do notice the cushion being smaller than the seat. They seem to make the lumbar fit your back better.

If someone just made a real form fitting memory foam seat cushion integrated into a nice " made for the Prius v" seat cover this might result in a game changer for me. But I won't pay 30 grand for something I have to put a 20 dollar Walmart seat cushion in to tolerate. I say that even as I think of how much I like the hatch style of the v and the uniqueness of this car.

 

I played with the lumbar and I prefer it not inflated. I tried pumping it up, and after about an hour my back was aching. I let it back down flat and bumped it up just a little and that is fine.

As for the seat bottom, The 10 dollar memory foam seat pad from walmart made it all better, regardless of how far back the seat is. I tried different positions.
Before I got that pad, I was seriously dreading the drive home.

Those nice seat covers I found in a different thread from wet okcie or whatever it was. Are those really good? Are they thick and padded in the seat bottoms?

If 600 bucks will get me nice seats it could be the deal clincher for this car because I really like everything else about it.

I went through their website but doesnt appear they list the v seats yet as an option to buy.

Of course that opens the thought, (if the bottoms of those are padded good) do I buy the V3 and get leather covers, vs bying the v5, and then covering up the leather with other leather.

If I got the v3, wuld their be a way to wire in the seat heaters that come with the seat covers?

Or would I be best off with the v5, and get an upholstery shop to take the seats out and pad inside them and put em back? Is their room to even do that??

 

I did my usual commute to work this morning and I got about 48 mpg. Very impressed considering it was 48 degrees and the car had to warm up before going into full hybrid mode.

Still driving with the seat cushion I added.

Anyone able to add feedback on those seat covers they sell? Look semi expensive, but if they add the padding I need, they would be worth it.

 

So, I've been testing out the V driving to and from work.
Its been solid. I probably "don't know how to drive it yet" I just take it easy on acceleration, and run in ECO unless I'm trying to turn left across 4 lanes of traffic or something.

When I'm on the interstate if I'm running around 60-63 MPH, I'm gtting around 48-49 (REAL) MPG. (Not what the computer says, its what I actually fill up with and divide by miles driven)

When I'm running 65-72 range I'm getting around 45 (REAL) MPG.

I LOVE the hatch carrying capacity.
I do find the C pillar blind spot of a small concern, but its not a big one for me.
The ride is good. Its quiet.
Exceeding EPA ratings is always good.
The seats are questionable.

Seems like one post I saw said they ahd a cloth interior car outfitted with leather seats for 1000 dollars.

Seems like those seat covers mentioned in other threads here, are basically custom and run around 650 for a full set. (Seems cheap enough for leather)

I'm not sure if an upholstery show would actually cover the seats, or replace the cloth. Also not sure if they would be able to add padding under the current cloth, or have to add it within the new seat covers or what.

 

I didn't make my thoughts about the upholstery clear in the last post.

If I'm gonna spend 650-1000 dollars putting leather seat covers in, I'm wondering if I may as well get the V3, and add leather over the cloth, vs the V5 and cover up leather with leather.

Though, I'd want heated seats!! I'm sure they can install heater units, but how could they get power to them?

Also, I'm not sure what else I'd be lacking from the v5.

I know I'd lose the 17" wheels.
I think I lose the Homelink/auto dimming mirror as an option.
I think I lose Daytime running lights with Auto on headlights?

Not sure what else, but those are features I'd like to have.

It may be required that I have the heated seats in the v5, in order for them to have a place to wire in secondary heaters with the aftermarket leather/covers.

 

Keich, most of that stuff you describe is part of the ATP which I'm not interested in paying for.

Mainly, I wanted the v5 for the nicer 17" wheels, the auto dim homelink mirror, heated leather seats, and if possible, the auto on headlights. (Don't care if they are LED)

Do you know if Auto on headlights is part of the standard v5 or do I have to get ATP? That package isn't worth that price.

If I could get a v3, but be able to get the homelink, and add heated leather seats by adding nice leather seat covers or customer upholstery work with seat heaters (not usre how they would get power to each unpoweed oem seat), then I could probably live without the auto headlights (not ideal) or the 17" wheels.

I'm just thinking, if I could get a V3 for around 27 and a V5 might run 30, then spending a grand on seats and seat heaters might make more sense than paying 3k for the uplevel v5.

At that point, maybe just slide 2 powered heated leather corolla seats in there instead of the Vs seats, as they are likely much more comfortable factory seats.

 

Interesting Guam.
It looked like those wet butt covers were a nice leather. They feel good for a long ride?

I could see some nice covers, and a large piece of 1" memory foam cut to fit the shape of the seat being enough to make the seats ride just fine.

The more I drive this thing the more I like it.

Looks like the wind does blow it a little bit but not bad.
Also looks like fuel mileage is affected by temp.
Earlier this week I was fillling up and seeing around 46 REAL MPG.
last two days have been in the 30s when I headed out to work and it seems to have dropped on fillup to around 39.

I see no reason to think it wont come back up soon when the cold spell passes.

 

So, richardAK, they were actually able to put the heat coil INSIDE the original seat?
Clearly they got power to it from SOMEWHERE!! Did you put them in the passenger side seat as well?

Do those wet butt seats come with real leather as an option or just just the wet suit material?

A v3, with the leather seat covers, add heaters, and install a homelink mirror is sounding like a nice option for me. Prob a 1K add on, for a car thats 3K less??